1778-1998 - Bicentennial Celebrations

ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22,1998, A STAR STUDDED OPENING DAY CERMONY WAS
HELD TO INITIATE "ROCKLAND COUNTY'S BICENTENNIAL"
CELEBRATIONS. THE HISTORIC LAFAYETTE THEATER IN SUFFERN, NY, WAS
AN APPROPRIATE SITE CHOSEN FOR SUCH AN AUSPICIOUS OCCASION.

A thousand lucky people were on hand to experience the pageantry.
Actors, singers, musicians and volunteers donated their time
and considerable talent to this memorable opening day event.
Others who could not be accommodated within the theater
had the option of gaining an appreciation of what went on over our
local radio station, WRKL.

Honorably mentioned were: Native Americans (indian tribes), Afro-Americans,
Hispanics, Asians, Dutch, British, Protestant refugees from France,
Germans from Palatinate states on the Rhine, Presbyterian Scots, and reference to the fact that
Rockland was never a melting pot of nationalities like Manhattan, where
18 different languages-including Dutch, French, English, German, Italian,
Polish, Portugese, Swedish, and several other dialicts-were spoken in
1640s. The script was thusly worded to get a bunch listed.
Nary a Mention of?

Mentioned, but few Knew

General John O'Sullivan grandson of County Kerryman
Major Philip O'Sullivan, served in the Revolutionary Army with
George Washington. He faithfully carried out the scorched earth policy
on the Indians for George. Not a very happy achievement to relate.
To be true to history we must tell the good the bad and the ugly
side of events. He was a Freemason as was Washington and his
comrades.

Songwriter George M. Cohan was mentioned in the context of a
"Yankee Doodle" of the Revolutionary era. He was a Freemason also.